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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-11-2019 Minutes o• c E it (.)1 BIA Committee of Rate Payers Meeting AUBURNJuly 11, 2019 — 1:00 PM vVA'sfIEN(j CON: Auburn City Hall Council Chambers MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 1:02 pm by Vice Chairman Cowart. Roll Call: Committee Members present: Vice Chair Bill Cowart; Members Kelly Gordon, Darren Jones, Ronnie Roberts,John Rottle Committee Members absent: Chairman Giovanni DiQuattro; Members Bob Klontz, Ruth Neil-Stover, Megan White City staff present: Josh Arndt, Economic Development Senior Officer; Lorraine Chachere, Tourism Coordinator; Holly Ferry, Committee Secretary ADA Board Members present: Brittiany Karlson, President; Kristina Driessen, Treasurer II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Committee Member Gordon moved and Member Jones second to approve the June 13, 2019 meeting minutes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 5-0 III. FINANCIAL REPORT Economic Development Senior Officer, Josh Arndt, reviewed the data on the Financial Report that showed the ending fund balance through May 2019, and he updated the Committee on recent encumbrances. IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Marketing and Branding Officer Arndt said the City has stopped pushing out the Buy Local ads because they were losing traction with viewers, and they have instead revamped the Buy Local website, which should be delivered by end of business today, and the ads will then be pushed out to the public again. The new website will feature pictures and create a user experience that will pull users back to the site. It will also allow and encourage businesses to upload their own photos, which will be sent to the City who will have final authority to censor any inappropriate submissions. B. BIA Newsletter A copy of the June newsletter and analytics were provided. There was no discussion. C. Update on Priority Projects Presented to City Council 1. Additional Security Lighting Officer Arndt reminded the Committee of where security lighting has been added. He suggested that the next place to add additional lighting would be in the Safeway parking lot area between Auburn Avenue and Auburn Way South because all the infrastructure is there. All that needs to be done is to order the lights and the brackets. He suggested to wait until the days get shorter so the Committee could take a look at the B Street Plaza when it's darker outside to see how effective the lighting is. It was agreed that the Committee would table the discussion until they could get a better idea of whether or not it would be effective for what they are trying to accomplish. 2. Christmas decorations Member Jones is continuing to try and locate a source for commercial LED rope lights. 3. Banners Officer Arndt provided a map showing the different kinds of light poles in the BIA. He asked the Committee to think about the aesthetic of putting banners on poles that are unlike the poles going down Main Street, and if that would take away the appeal. Member Rottle suggested that, if banners off Main Street were placed at intersections, they would draw the attention of people stopped there and make them aware that that area is part of the BIA. Member Roberts reminded the Committee that, at previous meetings, the Committee had talked about also putting flowers on the poles to create a unique and unified downtown, and those who are paying BIA fees could see that there is something being done with their money to beautify the downtown area and nobody is left out. The Committee decided to table the discussion until City staff provides, at the next meeting, a count of usable light poles in the BIA and also the cost of brackets, clamps, arms and banners. D. Update on 2019 Facade Grant Program There was nothing to update since the last meeting. E. Heritage Building Update Officer Arndt reported that the final design review will be sent out today. F. Unpaid BIA Fees Officer Arndt informed the Committee that the City has a new business licensing manager. G. Rules of Procedure Officer Arndt explained that, according to the Rules of Procedure, if the Committee recommends that the City spends money on something, they must also attach an economic analysis that tells why that money is being spent and what kind of return is expected, but that has never been done. That is the way the Code is written, and the Committee needs to decide if that should be taken out of the Code. The Committee requested the Code be sent to them for their review. V. NEW BUSINESS A. Shuttle from Outlet Collection to Downtown to Accommodate Fieldhouse Guests After some discussion, Vice Chair Cowart stated that, because there was no specific ask and no detail behind this topic, the Committee should move on to the next item. B. B Street Activation Officer Arndt reported that he received a document from the City's Facilities manager that was created in 2012 that laid out who within the City was responsible for taking care of different pieces of infrastructure throughout the city. Any vegetation at the B Street Plaza is the responsibility of the Parks Department. The Maintenance and Operations Department is responsible for taking care of the hardscapes. Officer Arndt stated that that has not happened but that there would be a procedure put into place to ensure that it is taken care of. Representatives from the ADA informed Officer Arndt that the City's Facilities manager had told them that the City is going to take the electrical out of the Mural Parking Lot, and the ADA will have to use spider boxes for electricity for their events. They would like to know, going forward, what to do. IV. AUBURN DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION UPDATE ADA President Brittiany Karlson reported that they had met with Community Development Director Jeff Tate, and they developed a blueprint of how to move forward with their permitting from now on. The plan is for ADA representatives to send to Director Tate, months ahead of an event, what they plan to do, and then Director Tate and Ingrid Gaub, the Director of Public Works, will sit down together and look at what is proposed. If they think what has been suggested will work, then they will send the ADA a list of everything they need to do before the event. This will also allow the ADA to market the event earlier than they have been. They are testing the process on the upcoming street festival. ADA Treasurer Kristina Driessen said she wanted to talk with the City Attorney to discuss how the ADA is given money by the City and the BIA Committee of Rate Payers to do events, but then they have to turn around and give the money back to the City to pay for permits, which does not make sense to them. Treasurer Driessen stated that, because the City and the ADA have mutual objectives, she has made a list of amendments to the 2020 contract, which would include 1) the waiving or substantial reduction of fees; 2) the parking lot would be cleaned by the City prior to an event; and 3) the Parks Department would allow the ADA to use their stuff for events, which they were at first allowed to do, but then it was all pulled back. They have given the proposed amendment to Economic Development Officer Tanya Carter to give to the City Attorney and are awaiting what will be said about the changes so they can move forward. Vice Chair Cowart suggested that it is in the Committee's right to incorporate into their ask of City Council to waive the ADA fees. He asked that the ADA representatives bring back a report to the August BIA meeting. President Karlson informed the Committee of the events they are working on for Halloween and Christmas. The street fair will take place on September 21. V. CHAMBER BOARD UPDATE There was no update; however, there were two volunteers from the BIA Committee and two volunteers from the ADA who will attend the August Chamber Board meeting to present and answer questions regarding the function of the BIA Committee of Rate Payers and The Auburn Downtown Association. VI. TOURISM BOARD UPDATE Tourism Coordinator Chachere showed the Committee the Tourism marketing calendar, as well as a summer seasonal poster that has been placed in businesses downtown and will also be placed in surrounding communities to get people who live outside of Auburn to come into Auburn. She also shared new promotional fortune cookies with 11 different whimsical sayings of Auburn's tourism assets that can be handed out at different community events and also some promotional coasters that have been distributed to Auburn hotels and restaurants for their use. The goal is to have the coaster promotion go all the way through at least mid- September to get people to stay in Auburn longer and to show them all the things to do and to drive them to the Tourism website that funnels them to more of the businesses and also the calendar of events. The new Tourism map was also presented. A Q4 promotion to bring people into the shoulder season will be geared toward football fans. She explained that she now has the Sound Transit calendar that shows confirmed train service to Century Link Field, and they are now looking into doing a promo for visiting fans to let them know that they can come stay in a more affordable area, with lower priced hotel rooms and some hot spots where they can have fun. The concept of businesses hosting events that will draw football fans to Auburn was also discussed. The 2nd Annual Auburn Tourism Summit will take place on Tuesday, October 29 from 12:30-4:00 PM. It will be an opportunity for the Tourism Board to talk about the different projects that have been done, a sneak peek of what is happening in 2020, as well as a business component—training for businesses. The Washington Tourism Alliance has been invited, which is the state tourism marketing arm that has been revived and funded from the last legislative season and will be activated to market Washington state. The director will share different ways of how Auburn can fit into that. Fieldhouse will do a case study of one of their locations that brings in 1.6 million visitors per year and will have a session to help local businesses know how to prepare for that type of volume and how to tap into all the different sports teams that are coming here for tournaments. At this point in the meeting, Connie Crier of PNW Coffee Company shared a request with the Committee to have the parade route changed so that it would end at the Kiss and Ride Lot, and people would then head back toward Auburn High School via Main Street rather than the street behind City Hall. Vice Chair Cowart responded that Parks would be invited to the next meeting. Tourism Coordinator Chachere shared some videos of Auburn businesses that have been on television and on streaming services. She will send the links for the Committee to view. Secretary Ferry informed the Committee that she will send out a calendar invite for meetings through June of next year and reminded the Committee to be sure to accept the invite so that the meetings would be added to their calendars. VII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 2:44 pm. APPROVED this 15th day of August, 2019. 4111 Ale William Cowart, Vice Chair Holly Ferry, Committee Se etary